I have a '96' Polaris Sportsman 400 4x4. It was stopping fine for the past year and more recently it would no longer stop. I checked out the brake pads and noticed they were worn down. I recently replaced them. It made my brake fluid reservoir full again now that caliper is pushed back due to the new pads. Now my question is why do my brakes not work at all. As if I never did anything. I pull the brake handle on the handle bars and nothing happens??? Does not even slow down. There is no resistance in the break handle either. Hope some one can help me.

 

Sounds like the master cylinder needs to be rebuilt. Sounds like the iston in it may be stuck

 

Clamp the brake line off with vice grips(not too tight to crush the line) pump the master cylinder until the pressure build up slowly,hold the brake lever tight while you have a friend with an 1/4" wrench break open the rear bleed screw first to remove air,then close the bleeder. Pump the brake lever again and do the front left. Repeat for the front right caliper. You may have to do this several times to remove all air from the fluid,then you can release the vice grips.Master cylinder may still be a little mushy,if so just pump up and bleed again until the lever is firm. Another way is to use a brake bleeder or a reverse bleeder: ALL fluid from the master cylinder has to be removed and fluid is pushed up from the caliper bleed screws into the reservoir removing the air(use paper towels to keep fluid from overflowing the reservoir) do this on all bleeders,but you still may have clamp down on the upper hose to build up the master cylinder,then do a final hand bleed(just build up pressure on the brake lever,hold lever tight while someone bleeds the fitting,then let off and build up again and finish the others. Just takes a little patience. Just my , if you still have the old original red handled master cylinder best to update it to the newer replacement model,will bleed a lot quicker and will brake like a brand new machine! You can also prime a master cylinder off the machine,just fill the reservoir,hold your thumb over the outlet and pump until pressure builds up and squirts a little fluid out,then connect to brake line and mount to the bars,then bleed while keeping the master cylinder full of fluid. LONG post,but showing the different ways to bleed your system. OPT

 

Thank you both for your help. I do have the red handle, but I will try what what you guys said first before I get a new one. This is my first time doing my own ATV work, so I will be needing any advice or two cents I can get. Thanks.